The Jharkhand state cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday, approved a proposal to provide cash rewards to government employees and informers for curbing the illegal production, trade, and peddling of narcotic substances. The incentives, applicable under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, will range from Rs 3,000 to over Rs 2 lakh, depending on factors such as the quantity and type of contraband seized, as stated by Vandana Dadel, Secretary of the Cabinet Coordination Department.
Reward Structure and Eligibility
Dadel explained that the reward policy aims to encourage people to provide information regarding illegal activities related to prohibited narcotic substances and to motivate effective action against them. Both government employees and informers are eligible for the reward. The reward amount varies based on parameters like the quantity and kind of substance, starting at Rs 3,000. The state-level reward committee can recommend rewards up to Rs 2 lakh, while recommendations exceeding Rs 2 lakh require approval from the Narcotics Crime Bureau reward committee.
Other Cabinet Decisions
The cabinet also approved a 2% hike in dearness allowance (DA) for state employees, increasing it from 58% to 60%, effective from January 1. Similarly, dearness relief for pensioners was raised to 60%. Additionally, a monthly pension of Rs 4,000 was approved for elderly, seriously ill, or permanently disabled artists.
Furthermore, the cabinet cleared a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for services at Dumka airport. It also sanctioned Rs 370.12 crore for an organic farming certification scheme covering 1.05 lakh hectares of land, to be implemented from 2026-27 to 2030-31. The certification will be carried out in three phases: Phase I (2026-27 to 2028-29), Phase II (2027-28 to 2029-30), and Phase III (2028-29 to 2030-31), each covering 35,000 hectares. The cabinet approved the release of Rs 42.87 crore for the first phase.
A total of 39 proposals from various departments were discussed during the meeting.
